[laine]

I inherited a bandsaw a few years back it has always looked so big and intimidated me , yet I have no problem using most power tools - so I thought well- go slow, do lots of reading and that's when the blade got stuck posted the question here and got lots very good help -
when I went to purchase a new blade the salesman told me the bandsaw is the most dangerous tool in the shop --- okay so my fear of using it is back - I haven't even put the new blade on yet - lol
Any pointers/suggestions/safety facts that I should be aware of
I know that as with any power tool all the saftey glasses, fences etc must and should be worn when operating any power tool, and I always need to have the knowledge of the capability and power of the tool but what else am I missing

laine

[BobD]

Laine,
Any powered saw is dangerous, but...well...to put it bluntly, when I was in 7th grade woodshop class, the only power tools we could use were the drill press, stationary belt sander (not the disc sander) and the bandsaw.

THe bandsaw does require oyu to pay attention (like any saw), but you don't need to worry about kickback, like you do with a tablesaw. In my opinon, all saws can be dangerous, but the bandsaw is by no means the most dangerous...I consider a radial arm saw the most dangerous!

Bob

[mdallensr]

I'm going to disagree with Bobd on this issue. I agree other tools can be more violently dangerous, and my radial arm saw get all of my respect, but my band saw scares me the most. In a noisy shop, with the dust collector running, you can't hear or feel a good bandsaw running; it's hard to see that it's running! Often, when you're bandsawing, you start, stop, back-up, clean away waste, etc. It's easy to forget it's running. You have some saw dust and chips on the bandsaw table? Just flick them away with your hand, right? Just that quickly, you could lop off a finger. Several times, after a long rough-out session on my bandsaw, I turned off the dust collector and then noticed the bandsaw was still running. So maybe it would be better to call it sneaky dangerous, but it's still very easy to hurt yourself so, please, respect it. All you need to do is watch your butcher work with a meat bandsaw to know how well it cuts flesh and bone. There's never any doubt in my mind that my radial arm saw is running, and when I'm using it, I wear all the safety equipment I have. Mike

[Plain_Ol_Ed]

Table saw scares me more than any of the others.

[Clifford_Parker]

I've slipped and been "bit" by both a table saw and a bandsaw. The bandsaw sliced me pretty good but the tablesaw removed a small portion of my fingertip MUCH faster! ALL power tools can injure you if you aren't careful so use the guards when possible and always pay attention!!

[Ron T]

I got a small 9" tabletop bandsaw recently. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one scared of it.

A lot of respect and a whole lot of attention goes into running my bandsaw.

[TreeWizard]

I use leather work gloves and a push stick to remove waste when I use the bandsaw. I think the tool in my shop that scares me the most is the shaper.

[BobBlaney]

As someone who has built furniture for over 30 years I have a band saw, radial arm and table saw. The term "afraid of" does not belong in any shop. I have respect for the cutting tools (manual and motorized). If you are afraid of the tool DO NOT USE it and get instruction on safe operation.
One tip I can give you that has worked for me - NEVER TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE BLADE! As long as you are looking at the blade you will know what is going to go into it.
Of the three saws I believe the band saw is "safest" since it is always pushing the wood down on the table. The radial is most dangerous when you are using it to rip and have to put your hand between the post and blade. My table saw does the ripping.
I hope this helps you and you go on the making creative carvings.

[AlArchie]

I don't see the bandsaw as the most dangereous at all.

But I do think it's the SNEAKIEST! All those other stationery power tools growl, whine and whistle, but the bandsaw just sits there and humms. Kinda like a hornet.

Like any tool in your shop it needs to be respected but not feared. If you are fearing a tool, you shouldn't be using it!

Al

[Claude]

Originally Posted by laine

I inherited a bandsaw a few years back ...
Any pointers/suggestions/safety facts that I should be aware of ...

laine

Here are a few:
1) Wear leather gloves while installing or removing a blade. Also, unplug the saw first.
2) Make a notched pusher stick that you can use to push the last couple of inches of wood into the blade - no problem if the pusher stick gets nicked by the saw - big problem if your finger does.
3) Strict instructions to everyone in the family: "do not enter the workshop and talk to me when the bandsaw, tablesaw, router, etc., are running". I have a single bulb overhead light with a switch by the door. This light does not illuminate my work, but is usually on. My wife has orders (and the explanation of why...) to flip this light on and off several times to get my attention, as I can see it flicker out of the corner of my eye. When I turn off the saw, then she can speak to me. Note: this may just be me, but when I'm concentrating on something such as a saw, someone speaking to me will startle me and make me twitch; a light flickering gets my attention, but doesn't startle me.
4) If you need to back a bandsaw blade out of a cut, turn it off first. Then, when the blade stops moving, you can safely back the blade out of the wood. Bandsaw blades can move right off the wheels and turn into a bent piece of sharp steel that flails around if they are pushed from the back. This can wreck your saw, your saw table, your wood, and probably your anatomy.
5) Do NOT use your woodcarving safety glove while using the bandsaw. The cloth could get caught in the bandsaw teeth and then cut and/or break your fingers.
6) Do not try to move the wood quickly when sawing. Take your time and let the saw do the work, particularly on thicker pieces of wood. The saw needs time to move the teeth from the top of the wood to the bottom without filling the gullets overfull of sawdust - The gullet is that little dip in between the teeth, and it's purpose is to remove sawdust.

I'm sure there are others, but this is all I can think of quickly.

Claude